Klinsmann & Cuomo want you to take a few hours off from work to support team USA

Here's a look at Jurgen Klinsmann's tweet asking employers to allow their staff to watch & support team USA. Below that you'll see NY state Governer Anrew Cuomo's response; giving all NY state employees a 2 hour lunch break so they can support #USMNT. I Love NY! :)

Here is what the Round of 16 looks like after today's matches. Soon we find out if Belgium & Algeria can hold on to their top spots in Group H

Brazil v Chile

Colombia v Uruguay

France v Nigeria

Netherlands v Mexico

Costa Rica v Greece

Argentina v Switzerland

United States v Germany

Let's get ready to rumble!!!

The US is trying to secure its place in the round of 16 but it needs to go through Germany first. The NY Times wants you to know that there are over 900 ways the US could advance but simply put; a win or a draw with DE would see them going through as long as Portugal doesnt win their game against Ghana by a huge margin, which is up in the air, now that 2 of Ghana's best players were sent home for bad conduct (they allegedly assaulted an official). Here's the Upshots take on US vs DE

Where the teams stand & how can they move on? Groups E & F

So what's your opinion of yesterday's games? They were definitely jam-packed with thrills, chills & Italian blood spills. People, the entire tournament just got turned on its head!

Groups A-D look like this:
Group A & B: BR vs CHI and MEX vs HOL
Done deal! Brazil (A1) & Mexico (A2) advance to face Holland (B1) & Chile (B2)
(Mexico's match against Croatia was so entertaining!)

Italian for dinner?
Group C & D: CR(D1) v Greece (C2) and COL (C1) vs URU (D2)
WOW WOW WOW! Just as the Italian team started to unravel & begin their infamous collection of yellow & red cards for their extreme violence on the pitch, none other than Luis 'GNAWS' Suarez tilts the balance of reality & common sense by biting an Italian player. He wasn't caught by any ref and this un-checked act subsequently caused ITA to stumble around in shock, leaving room for URU to score a few seconds later, sending the dumbfounded & dejected Italian squad home.

It's all greek to me!
GRE vs CdI: Another upset! CdI was starting to get too comfy in their 2nd place spot when out of nowhere, BOOM! Greece receives the luck of the gods & scores a late penalty goal thus turning the game upside down! Greece made history by scoring their first goals (ever) at a final & it's their first time going through to the R16. Hellas indeed!

Let's look at what the other groups have in store for us today!

Group E & F: FRA vs (F2) and (F1 ARG or NIG) vs (E2 ECU or SWI)

- Group E: France is in stellar form & took the top Group E spot in just 2 games. 2nd place in group E is still a bit open so for Ecuador to make it through they have to score more goals than the Swiss do in the Swiss match against an eliminated Honduras

- Group F: Argentina is definitely through to the R16. A draw against Nigeria will see them win the group and NIG would qualify for second place. If the Africans win, NIG will win the group.
Iran MUST beat Bosnia, and hope Argentina win so that Iran's goal difference beats Nigeria's

How argentine fans welcome their national team on to the pitch!

Where the teams stand & how can they move on? Groups A through D

The Round of 16 is coming together in a surprising way. Some of the top contenders have either been embarrassingly eliminated or are currently hanging on by a thread, while the biggest under-dogs are topping their groups. Let's see where each team in Groups A through D stand and how each team can advance

Group A & B:
BR vs CH and MEX vs HOL
Done deal! Brazil (A1) & Mexico (A2) advance to face Holland (B1) & Chile (B2)

Group C & D:
CR(D1) v (most likely) CDI and COL (C1) vs the winner of today's ITA/URU match
Colombia (C1) & Ivory Coast(C2) move on to face Costa Rica (D1). Colombia will face the winner of the ITA/URU game. Thanks to goal differential, Italy only needs a draw but Uruguay need to win in order to move forward. Interesting note: Italy & Uruguay have played each other nine times with URU leading by three wins to two but URU has never won against Italy at a WC. CR will most likely play CDI because so far CDI are coming in 2nd in Group C but they need to win in order to secure their slot. What can affect this outcome? If Japan wins their game, Greece would need to win by 3 EXTRA goals in order to move forward. Greece can also move forward if they win & Japan looses. The tricky part? Greece has never scored at a world cup final & Japan is about to play Colombia.

Japanese fans realize their team is about to play Colombia!

World Cup Cheat-Sheet: Ladies Edition (Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia & South Korea)

The group stage has become a welcome reality for some & a horrific ending for others. Here we see how Group H stacks up:

Belgium :
Forget their chocolate, forget their yummy Destrooper galettes. This team is like a young Paul Newman circa Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; young, intense & ready to conquer

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: The Red Devils." The name given to them by a journalist who called the Belgian squad "The Red Devils" after three "devilish" wins in 1906
- Playing style: fluid and surprising (as seen in yesterday's win over Russia), this is Belgium's golden era thanks to Chelsea FC's influence (several have/do play for the EPL Chelsea team)
- Players to watch: Hazard, Origi & De Bruyne
- How far can they go: They are tagged as one of the big teams to watch this year & they are at the top of their group, securing them a place in the R16. Time to see what's in store for this young squad
- Lastly, here are 2 of Belgium's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Smooth operator Eden Hazard & Jan Vertonghen's adorable pout

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Algeria :
This is the North African nation's 4th time at the Big Show & they have just made history by being the first African nation to score 4 goals at a WC (their first win in 32 years)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: "Les Fennecs," which is a small fox native to Algeria
- Playing style: Ambitious and hungry but not much of a defense nor offense, the task of play-making will land on the shoulders of the midfielders
- Players to watch: Sofiane Feghouli, Islam Slimani
- How far can they go: Vahid Halilhodzic was fired from the Cote D'Ivoire/Ivory Coast squad just before the last WC so he's out to prove he can lead an African squad to the R16
- Lastly, here is one of Algeria's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

The perfectly chiseled Medhi Lacen

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Russia :
The 2018 hosts of the World Cup somehow, coincidentally of course!, were put in a very easy group but are having problems getting things in order for this WC.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: "Sbornaya" means "National Team" in Russian
- Playing style: Russia has a good defense but the counter-attack is lacking & the team is essentially a work-in-progress
- Players to watch: Igor Akinfeev, Alan Dzagoev & Aleksandr Kerzhakov
- How far can they go: Italian coach Fabio Capello is trying to get them to the R16 but every other team they are playing against, seems to have other plans for Mother Russia.
- Lastly, here is one of Russia's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Alexander Kerzhakov

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South Korea :
South Korea has been to more World Cups (9) than any other Asian nation, including the 2002 WC they hosted with Japan.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: "Taegeuk" refers to the symbol on South Korea's flag, which represents a spiritual balance, similar to the yin and yang symbol. Another nickname for this squad is "The Reds/Red Devils" derived from the team's uniforms
- Playing style: Quick & have finesse at the front but the goal box is basically empty
- Players to watch: Son Heung-min
- How far can they go: South Korea is on a painful vacation
- Lastly, here is one of Korea's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Koo Ja-cheol loves you

World Cup Cheat-Sheet: Ladies Edition (Group G: Germany, USA,Portugal & Ghana)

Here's the scoreboard as of this morning. Germany demolished Ronaldo's Portugal thanks in part to Portugal's true bad boy; Pepe. USA showed good face by beating out a stunned Ghana 2:1 & in between it all, Iran & Nigeria drew zero.

Now let's take a VERY slow & longing look at the pretty boys & the rough necks of Group G: Germany, USA, Portugal & Ghana

Germany :
Schwartz, Rot Gold! That just rolls off the tongue doesn't it? It means 'Black, Red, Gold', for the colors of the German flag. I have visited DE several times but when I was in Berlin for the 2006 World Cup match featuring DE vs ARG it was electrifying! I had never seen so many German flags out in the open. It was as if the Germans finally got their groove back. Today, people don't think twice about wearing the tricot & that's nice to see but what's nicer to see is the actual players in & out of their blacks, their reds, and their.. well, you decide from there. All I know is, some of these boys deserve gold stars for showmanship. They make me want to sing 'I love German boys!'.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Die Mannschaft, means "The Team". German efficiency at its best because just two germanic words can often shock anyone who's listening
- Playing style: As Gary Lineker said during WC'90, "Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win." That was the Germany of old, today's squad add flair, style & as always precision to their plays.
- Players to watch: Marco "Rolls-Reus" Reus, Klose, Mueller & the sexiest coach at the WC, Joachim 'Jogi" Löw. His hair has a shampoo contract!
- How far can they go: With the best midfielding team Germany has ever seen, they can definitely get to the final if they can patch up their injured players in time & get Schweinsteiger back in tip-top form. The germans are tired of being #3 but no EU team has ever won the WC on LatAm soil, so can the Germans be the first?
- Lastly, behold the German squad & their mesmerizing coach ;)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel tagged this on FB as: "Dont hate the Playa', Hillary!"

Mesut Özil's "V" & abs want to send you their new selfie

Bastian has been bad, very bad!

The Squad, ready for after hours

Mario Gomez knows how to tease

Coach Löw and his oh-so-intense stare

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Portugal :
Portugal! Often undervalued & underestimated but most Portuguese don't mind it that way, since it means they get to keep more of that beautiful country to themselves. The same can be said of their football team. Yes they have one of the best players in the world but that's also the problem. Portugal has a talented squad which seems to be dwarfed by CR's ego & hype which in turn puts more pressure on CR & the squad. They are the dark, sexy, mediterranean... oh, sorry! right, they are one of the dark horses of the WC ;)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Selecção das Quinas; "The team of the Shields," refers to the 5 shields ("quinas") & the 5 dots in each shield (bezants) on the flag
- Playing style: Big on passing... the ball to CR9 so he can do as he pleases :(
- Players to watch: João Moutinho can pass well & Captain CR9 is touted as the single person who can carry Portugal to victory. Yeah, no pressure!
- How far can they go: Well after being ROCKED by DE they need to rock every other team in order to keep 2nd place. If they can do that, they'll bow out at the R16
- Lastly, here are 2 of Portugal's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Helder Postiga + CR

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USA :
No, the US squad didn't make a wrong turn at the baseball field, they are back to prove they can do better than last time & that they can lift that darn-tooten WC trophy with the foreign words on it!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: There's no official nickname but fans call them Stars & Stripes or the Yanks
- Playing style: Do-or-die mentality with a good defense & decent counter attacks but even with former german star player/coach Klinsmann as their coach, they still need a lil' extra something to help then beat the likes of DE & IT
- Players to watch: Bradley & german bad boy Jermaine Jones
- How far can they go: The US is in the true Group of Death & might make it out of the group alive if Portugal doesn't get its act together.
- Lastly, here is one of USA's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

LL Cool Oguchi Onyewu needs love

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Ghana:
The Ghanaian team feel robbed thanks to Uruguay's tactics at the last WC QF so they are back for revenge!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Black Stars in reference to the black star on Ghana's flag
- Playing style: progressive, versatile with a bit of flair
- Players to watch: Bad boy Kevin Prince-Boateng, Afriyie Acquah & Asamoah Gyan, Ghana's all-time top scorer
- How far can they go: It's the group of death but Ghana is going to fight tooth and nail to get through to the Semis in order to meet Uruguay again
- Lastly, here is one of Ghana's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Kevin Prince Boateng showing us some of his skills

World Cup Cheat-Sheet: Ladies Edition (Group F: Argentina, Bosnia &Herzegovina, Iran & Nigeria)

The World Cup scoreboard as of this morning:

So far, a few upsets, a few triumphs, some minor scandals and a few snoozes but one thing that will never put you to sleep is watching Argentina play.

Here's a look at Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-H., Iran & Nigeria

Argentina:
Argentina! land of long hair, short shorts & sexy goals (besides great wine & steak!)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: Albiceleste
- Playing style: Attack, Attack & oh yeah, ATTACK! they're known for sometimes leaving a few minor holes in defense but there's no denying their quick, stylistic attacking prowess and Coach "Pachorra" (Calm) Sabella will try to keep his men in line, all the way to the final.
- Players to watch: Lionel Messi has been given the Captain's armband, a true symbol of the country's belief in "La Pulga" (the flea). Higuain (El Pipita) & Aguero (Kun) will also have a chance to strut their stuff
- How far can they go: ARG & FRA are the only 2 teams to win every major FIFA men's tourney but ARG has done it all with out the help of Platini & Blatter ;) And this time Argentina is in Brazil, the land of their biggest rival (before England & Germany). These 2 footballing nations treat futbol as a religion and Messi is Argentina's god. No matter how Argentines feel about his results for the national shirt, they all agree that Messi is one of, if not, THE greatest footballer in the world. If you look at the numbers, ARG has lost only 2 out of their 16 qualification games so Argentina is extrememly hungry for a championship on Brazilian soil & I truly believe the final will be ARG vs DE or ARG vs BRA, so if you're looking for a real clasico? This will be the Super-Uber clasico!
- Lastly, here is one of Argentina's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Higuain's develish smile   __________

Bosnia & Herzegovina :
Its's the country's first showing since the break up of Yugoslavia and they have a group of talented players trying to make history

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: B&H's nickname is "zmajevi" which means "dragons"
- Playing style: fun team to watch thanks to one of the best passers in the world; Pjanic
- Players to watch: Pjanic & Edin Dzeko
- How far can they go: Coach Susic scored a hat-trick as a player for the former Yugoslavia against Argentina in 1979 (& was named best-ever foreign player at PSG) so he's out to prove he can do it again, this time as Coach, but as you saw last night, Bosnia needs to regroup and try their best to keep their 2nd place hopes on track after the own-goal they scored at the 3rd minute.
- Lastly, here is one of BH's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Emir Spahic, the rock of the Bosnian team

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Iran:
Iran does well in regional competitions & now they hope Coach Quiroz can help them make the same kind of impression at the World Cup

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: "Team Melli" which means National Team
- Playing style: Tough, determined but lacking foresight & fluidity
- Players to watch: Reza (Gucci) G.
- How far can they go: Portuguese coach Queiroz, known for his stints at Real Madrid, Man U & the POR natl team, has led Iran & South Afirca to the world championships but with the likes of Bosnia & ARG, I dont think they'll make it out of the group
- Lastly, here are 2 of Iran's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

Javad Nekounam + Alireza Jahan Bakhsh

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Nigeria:
The current African champions are looking to take home some international bling

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The team's nickname: "The Super Eagles"
- Playing style: Bold, blazing & bombastic
- Players to watch: Kenneth Omeruo & Vincent Enyeama
- How far can they go: Coach Keshi is only 1 of 2 men who have won the Africa Cup of Nations as both player & coach but can he infuse that type of discipline & proper strategy into this squad? If Bosnia doesn't get its act together, Nigeria just might have a chance at reaching the R16
- Lastly, here is one of Nigeria's most 'valuable' players for reference purposes ;)

You'll always be safe in Vincent Enyeama's hands